KIRKUS REVIEW

A man ate an airplane. This is true.
Though this is not his story, Pearson uses it to ground a surprisingly
informative book about the technology (and etiquette).

As Pearson explains at the closure
of this crazy business, a gentleman by the name of Michel Lotito ate a Cessna 150,
which, granted, is not a Boeing 747, but even so....In the book proper he gives
this curious act a suitable touch of insanity, graced with Emily Post–like
commands on the proper etiquette of airplane-eating. The best venue is a party
(for a little help from your friends). Your invitees must be sent tickets of
invitation and then met at the gate. Serve jet-fuel aperitifs to wash down the
crunchy mechanical canapes. Pearson tosses in some humdinger words—aileron,
fuselage, the Tardiness Toast: "To friends and clocks and paradox. / I'm
usually on time. Oops"—but he makes them go down even easier than Cessna
150 parts. Meanwhile, Catusanu's artwork is full of hard-candy color, inviting
and playful, with a relatively diverse cast of human characters among the
partygoers and even a dog and a cat. Even the "Airplane Facts" at the
end of the book are designed to both amuse and instruct. "Planes are
heavy. Just the paint on a commercial airliner weighs between 400 and 1,000
pounds!"

This series opener is a successful combination of etiquette book and
airplane cookery: who’d have thunk it? (Informational picture book. 4-8)

Be the first to discover new talent!
Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our Pro Connect email alert.
Sign up here to receive your FREE alerts.